Elizabeth, Daughter of Jacob and Nancy Christlieb

1781–1857

The Christlieb-Chrislip-Crislip Family Association, in the 1980s, asked Association members to design and construct banners for each branch of the Christlieb-Chrislip-Crislip family. This banner represents the union of Elizabeth Crislip's great-grandson, Zebedee John Crouse and John Chrislip's great-granddaughter, Victoria Robinson. Elizabeth was the second-born child of Jacob and Nancy Christlieb and John was their seventh child. Zebedee and Victoria were third cousins.

Elizabeth Crislip was the second child of Jacob and Nancy Christlieb. She was born in Mifflin Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania on 5 September 1781, during the time when Jacob was serving in the American Revolutionary War. This is the record of her birth as set down in an old family record.

Elizabeth was about two years of age when her parents immigrated into northwestern Virginia. With her elder sister, Mary, and her baby brother, George, the family settled in Berkeley County. When Elizabeth was around age 11, the family moved to Harrison County.

At about age 21, Elizabeth Crislip married Nicholas Crouser, Jr. in Pennsylvania, ca. 1802. Their marriage is thought to have taken place in Fayette County. Unlike Virginia where marriage bonds were compulsory, Pennsylvania had no such requirements; therefore, specific information regarding their marriage is lacking. The year of their marriage is estimated from the birth year of their first-born child, Michael, who was born there in 1803. Born in 1781, Elizabeth would have been about 21 years of age when she married Nicholas Crouser and age 22 when her first child was born.

Nicholas Crouser was the grandson of Johannes Kraushaar, who emigrated from Germany in 1752. Nicholas’ father, Nicholas Kraushaar/Crouser, was born ca. 1755.

At some time after the birth of their first child and the taking of the 1810 Federal Census, Nicholas and Elizabeth moved from Fayette County, Pennsylvania to Harrison County, Virginia. The 1810 Virginia census lists Nicholas Crouse residing in Harrison County.

Upon their arrival in Harrison County, Elizabeth and Nicholas probably settled on land adjoining the 300 acres of land that Elizabeth’s father, Jacob, had received in the late 1790s via an exchange warrant. That they occupied this land is evident in a court case involving Jacob’s eventual purchase of that land. An excerpt from the court case reads, “…the said Nicholes Crouser, who is the son-in-law of said Crisleb…had settled in the woods and made some improvement adjoining said Crisleb’s farm, where he then lived and had afterwards abandoned.”

In those days, “improvements” meant that a sufficient amount of the land was cleared to accommodate a cabin with space for a garden or corn patch. It is doubtful that Nicholas and Elizabeth would have put this much effort into a place that they did not intend to own. Their abandoning the property suggests the Crousers may have been unable to get clear title for the land and therefore had moved on. Jacob eventually bought the acreage, but it took four and a half years and a lawsuit before he obtained clear title to the land. Harrison County Court Case, Townson vs. Crisleb, August 1819.

The 1820 Census shows 7 young males and 2 young females in the Crouser household.

Elizabeth Christlieb/Crislip Crouser, is believed to have died shortly after the birth of her last child, William, who was born 15 October 1821. Proceedings of the Orphan’s Court reveal that a motion was made that Nicholas Crouser was ordered to appear at the first session of the next term “to show cause why his children shall not be bound out.” June 20-21, 1821, p.248: Harrison County Minute Book, 1820-1823. Inasmuch as the order from the Orphan’s Court was made four months prior to the birth of the last child, that Elizabeth might have been in poor health and unable to care for her children of whom five or perhaps six of them were under age 11.

Elizabeth died on 17 January 1857, at age 76. Nicholas Crouser reportedly died in 1852. Although of poor quality, this is the only known photograph of Nicholas and Elizabeth Crouser.

Children of Elizabeth Crislip and Nicholas Crouser

Michael Crouser (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², Elizabeth Crislip³) [126], born 1803 in Pennsylvania; died 10 October 1850 in Wood County, Virginia; burial in Leachtown Cemetery, Leachtown, Wood County, West Virginia; married, 16 March 1829, Randolph, Virginia, Mahala/Mahaley/Martha Kittle, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Esters Kittle, b. ca. 1809. Wood County Marriage Bonds, Book 1.
Nicholas Crouser, Jr. (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², Elizabeth Crislip³) [126], born 1804; died 1814.
George Crouser/Crouse (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², Elizabeth Crislip³) [126], born ca.1806; died 16 March 1864 and was buried in the Simons Cemetery in Barbour County, West Virginia; married Mary “Polly” Simon, daughter of Anthony Simons. When Jacob Christlieb drafted his will in 1821, he bequeathed $5.00 to his grandson, George Crouse. It is unknown why Jacob favored this particular son of Elizabeth.
John Wesley Crouser (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², Elizabeth Crislip³) [138], born 1808, Virginia; died 5 April 1887; married 1^st, 2 September 1877, Mary E. Higembotham/Higginbotham, born 1808. John Wesley Crouser married 2^nd, 3 June 1841, Barbour County, Nancy Harris, born ca. 1808. John Wesley Crouser was a boatman by trade.
Charles Crouser (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², Elizabeth Crislip³) [139], born 1810. “Charles Crouser to be bound to Isaac Crislip till age 21 to learn the art and mystery of a farmer.” September 15, 1824, p. 33: Harrison County Minute Book, 1823-1825. “On motion of the Overseers of the Poor ordered that the order made at the September Court 1823 binding Charles Crouser to Isaac Crislip be rescinded, it appearing to the satisfaction of the court that said Crislip refuses to take said boy and that the said Charles Crouser be bound to Joseph O’Neal until he comes to lawful age to learn the art and mystery of a farmer and that the Overseers of the Poor execute indenture accordingly.” June 21, 1824, p. 184: Harrison County Minute Book, 1823-1825.
Solomon Crouser (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², Elizabeth Crislip³) [139], born ca. 1813; died 3 October 1880, Marion County, West Virginia. Unmarried.
Catherine Crouser (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², Elizabeth Crislip³) [139], born April 1817; died 6 March 1904, Columbus, Ohio; married George W. Thompson. Catherine Crouser Thompson died at the home of her daughter Mary Mossman. In 1824, at age 7, it was recorded that “On motion of the Overseers of the Poor ordered that Catharine Crouser, an infant, [meaning a young child] was bound to Samuel D. Hall until age 18 to learn the art and mystery of a spinstress …” October 18, 1824, p. 229: Harrison County Minute Book, 1823-1825.
Joseph Crouser (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², Elizabeth Crislip³) [140], born 1818. “On motion of the Overseers Crawser to be bound to Isaac G. Cuningham until lawful age to learn the art and mystery of a farmer.” February 21, 1825, p. 284: Harrison County Minute Book, 1820-1830. According to the 1859 Ohio County, West Virginia, Census, Joseph was 41 years of age, thus making his year of birth 1818. The census lists his wife as Mary Ann, age 28.
William Crouser (Friedrich Carl Christlieb¹, Jacob Christlieb², Elizabeth Crislip³) [141], born 15 October 1821 in Harrison County, Virginia; died 21 October 1893; married, 12 Oct 1851 in Dent’s Run, Marion County, Virginia, Amelia Mildred Metz, born 5 July 1829 in Marion County, Virginia. Amelia died at age 93 years, 2 months, 14 days in Mannington, Marion County, West Virginia on 5 July 1922. William and Amelia’s children were all born at Dent’s Run, Mannington Twp., Marion County, Virginia.